EDINBURGH -- Maggie Brown of The Guardian chaired a discussion about the importance of daytime programming, as viewers' expectations become ever higher.

In attendance were:
Nikki Cheetham, MD Cheetah Television
Jay Hunt, Controller of Daytime, BBC
Liam Keelan, Head of Daytime ITV
Adam MacDonald, Head of Daytime C4

The highlights:
  • Brown took the opportunity to ask Cheetham whether ITV had been the first to stake a claim on Deal Or No Deal. She explained that it had been offered to ITV in both 2003 and 2005 but was turned down.

  • On the shelf-life of teatime favourite Ready Steady Cook, Jay Hunt explained: "It's been going strong foor many many years and yet any time we move it around the schedule we're inundated with people complaining...you kill [it] off at your peril." However, she said that she'd be surprised if it appeared in the same format and slot in five years' time.

  • Asked about ITV's controversial endeavours to reduce its children's programming, Keelan admitted: "It's no secret that we're talking to OFCOM...so, that's where we are with that...Having seen the figures, it's just not working, that slot, in terms of the audience and in terms of a commercial proposition."

  • Asked whether the BBC will follow suit in moving children's output to digital, Hunt responded: "No, don't have any immediate plans to do that whatsoever. I think we are constantly looking at how effective kids' programming...There may come a point where we have to rationalise our children's output across two channels [BBC One and BBC Two]...but I have absolutely no plans in the short to medium-term of moving it to digital."

  • Of new David Dickinson antiques show Speculation, Keenan said: "The format is set in an auction house but with a studio in the auction house, so it will feel like an entertainment show, hopefully. I think it's an interesting format."

  • MacDonald spoke about the qualities the host of Deal Or No Deal would have needed, saying that they would need the skills of "a DJ or a stand-up comedian". He explained that Noel Edmonds was averse to the idea of the show at first. "It took us quite a while to kind of hook him, reel him in."